Reinforcing contrivance.



J. N. HAHN.

REINFORCING CONTRIVANCE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. a, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Patented Apr. 30, 1918.

J. N. HAHN. REINFORCING' CONTRIVANCE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. a. 1915.

Patented Apr. 30,1918,

L68Th 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

JOHN H. HAHN, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

REINFORGING GONTRIVANCE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 30, 191%.

Application filed March 8, 1915. Serial No. 12,887.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN N. HAHN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Reinforcing Contrivances, of which the following is a specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

This invention in reinforcing contrivances appertains more particularly for the exemplifying purpose in hand to a metal strip for use in enveloping and binding boxes or the like.

Heretofore, in so far as I am aware, it has been customary to apply and afiix'what is commonly termed as strap iron by first conforming it to the contour of the box and thereafter securing either with nails or with separate staples which were later usually clenched interiorlv. This mode has been clumsy, laborious and wasteful of both time and material, besides presenting a crude appearance.

Accordingly the objects of myinvention are:

1) To provide strap iron which while simple, sightly and economical of manufacture is moreover easier to apply and commercially more efiicient.

(2) To provide a packing accessory of the character stated which obviates the need for either staples or nails.

(3) To provide a unitary securing agency which, in the case of fiber or pulp board, may be tightly and neatly affixed indeed locked in a single machine operation.

(4) To provide a limited reinforcement therefor such that a predetermined thiclc ness of the box material is penetrated and efiectively clenched.

In the fulfilment of they last mentioned object the principle shown, described and claimed in United States Letters Patent No. 951,393 issued to me on March 8, 1910, is effectively utilized here.

The inventive conception is associated with elements which are hereinafter explained and variously combined in the claims. l Vhile' the annexed drawing and particular description thereof set forth the preferred form embodying my invention, it should be understood that the means fiber board showing a number of strap irons scored up in intimate association therewith.

Fig. III is a perspective view of that length of reinforced sheet which is shown in Fig. II after the same has been formed to the shape of the box desired.

Fig. IV is a perspective view of another detail.

Fig. V is an enlarged top plan of strip of strap iron embodyinomy invention.

Fig. VI is a longitudinal section of Fig. I

Fig. VII is a longitudinal section showing the manner in which my invention becomes clenched to the board.

Fig. VIII is a section of line VIII-VIII of Fig. VI looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. IX is a bottom plan view of line IX-IX of Fig. VII.

Fig. X is a view corresponding to Fig. VIII, slightly modified.

Fig. XI is a top plan of a portion of a strip of strap iron involving a different modification.

Figs. XII and XIII are cross sectionsand longitudinal sections respectively takenon the lines indicated. 1

Figs. XIV and XV are views corresponding to Figs. XI and XIII of still another modification.

. Fig. XVI is an enlarged perspective view of a corner of a completed box, showing the manner in which opposite ends of a binding strip may become fixed relatively to each other.

I have elected as well adapted to illustrate the manner of use of my invention anew type of fruit crate including in its structure both wood and pulp composition or fiber strips, the whole if desired to be reinforced and bound together solely by my inventive improvement. The wood employed in the type of box shown consists quite arbitrarily of three similar equispaced frames 1 each of which is covered on one side by a piece of fiber material 2 whereby the frames when thus closed serve as end walls, and an intermediate partition for the completed box. A sheet of fiber board ,3 suitably cut to size is in this instance reinforced by three strips of strap iron 4 which are affixed, and moreover clenched along the longitudinal edges and the middle thereof in a manner to be presently fully described. It should be understood that the term board as used in this application refers to and may mean any kind of material including fiber board, straw board, veneer board and wooden board of whatsoever width, length, thickness orarea. As so applied the straps 4 are similarly spaced as the frames 1, and their arrangement may be similarly varied at will. Each of the metal strapsembodying my invention is provided along its longitudinal middle with a series of upwardly projecting corrugations or stifl'enin ribs 5 separated by comparatively short distances of flat material. They are furthermore fashioned at intervals corresponding with the spacing between the stiffening ribs 5 with a plurality of similarly projecting struck-out tongues 6. The formation and arrangement of the tongues 6 is such that each includes in its structure a portion of one of the ribs 5, and substantially all of that fiat middle portion of the strap which was between two adjacent ribs 5. The particular construction or finished contour of the tongues 6 is clearly shown in Figs. VI and VIII, to include a flat point 7 and an upper portion stiffened by amedial rib 8 which originally formed one end of one of the ribs 5. I have discovered that by employing a female die slightly larger than the male die, the corner portions constituting the junction of the tongues with the strap becomes indented somewhat asdesig- "nated by the reference numeral 9. In my opinion this is an advantage in that it tends to cooperate with the tongues to the end of fixing the strap with the greatest degree of security. The purpose in reinforcing the prong-like tongues is obvious, while the purpose of reinforcing them part way, that is, not as far as the point, is to cause a predetermined extent (as shown approximately the entire point) to become upset and therefor clenched against the opposite or'inner side of the box. The reinforced portion of the tongue is best made to equal in measurement the thickness of the box material as clearly seen in Figs. VII andfIX. It was this idea which constituted one of the features of my patent hereinbefore identified. Continuous lengths of strap iron embodying my invention may be caused to successively puncture and clench a continuous sheet of flexible box material at a single operation by passing between rollers. In this wise a stock sheet may be scored up and reinforced in the flat, and later cut and formed as required. These two stages of preparatory operationsare shown in Figs. II and III.

The modification shown in Fig. X depicts the result eifected by employing perfectly mated dies, the junction of the continuous strap 10, and any one of its tongues 11 being substantially right angled.

The modification illustrated by Figs. XI to XIII inclusive involves an inversion of projectionof the tongue stiffening rib. According to this form the strap 12 is formed with upwardly projecting corrugations 13, and downwardly punched tongues 14 having ribs 15 projecting in a direction opposite to that of the ribs 8 seen in Fig. VIII.

The final modification with which Figs. XIV and XV have to do discloses the simplest form in which my invention may be practised with less though sufiicient effectiveness. In this modification both the strap 16 and the pointed tongue 17 are fiat.

It may not be amiss to particularly state that strap iron embodying my invention may be used with equal eflicacy to bind wooden boxes of rather thin veneer. When so employed the same must be applied by successive hammering over each of the prongs.

It should also be understood that the nails which are shown in Fig. I are by no means indispensable because if the strap iron is not scored 11 with the fiber board prior to enveloping tie wooden frames the pronglike tongues may themselves be caused to penetrate not only through the fiber board, but also into the wooden frames.

Fig. XVI shows the incidental facility afforded by my invention for securing together the ends of one particular encircling strip. This can be accomplished by causing the last of the tongues at one end to enter and become compressed relatively to the last opening in the other end. It is apparent that in the case of certain articles to be shipped this facility permits of a quick opening closure without necessitating injury to the ends of the binding straps or to the upper edge of the box or its cover.

I claim:

1. A contrivance of the character described comprising a metal strap fashioned with a plurality of stiffening ribs, said strap also provided with tongues struck-out from said ribs.

2. A contrivance of the character described comprising a metal strap fashioned with a plurality of longitudinally alined stiffening ribs, and with struck-out pointed tongues having reinforcing projections forming continuations of said ribs respectively.

8. A contrivance of the character described comprising a box forming structure including side and end members fitted together and a metal reinforcing strap conforming to and enveloping said box, said strap being provided With lntegral pointed tongues and stiffening ribs alternately projecting 1011- gitudinally therealong, said tongues piercing said box and furthermore clenched interiorly.

4-. A eontrivanoe of the character described comprising a box forming structure including an integral blank of fiber board shaped to form the sides of the box, a partition member fitted thereto, and a metal reinforcing strap conforming to and enveloping said board at said partition, said strap being provided With ribs and with strueloout pointed tongues forming eontinuations of said ribs, said tongues piercing both said board and said partition.

Signed by me, this 5th day of March, 1915.

JOHN N. HAHN.

Attested by- LILLIAN NAnovEo, R. P. MORTIMER.

flower all this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. 0. 

